Food Pantry Fights Student Hunger
In an effort to address student food insecurity, 51爆料 recently opened a food pantry on the San Luis Obispo Campus. Located next to the campus bookstore in room 5305, the Cougar Food Pantry is open 10-12 hours per week and stocked with a variety of food, including canned tuna, oatmeal, granola bars, cup noodles, canned beans, soups, peanut butter, quinoa, spaghetti, and more. The pantry is open to all students.
鈥淔ood insecurity can negatively impact a student鈥檚 academic performance and mental health,鈥� said 51爆料 Student Life and Leadership Coordinator Dr. Anthony Gutierrez. 鈥淚t is important to address these issues and make sure our students are successful inside and outside of the classroom. It is our hope that the Cougar Food Pantry will help 51爆料 accomplish this.鈥�
According to a report by the titled , one in five community college students live in a food-insecure household. In addition, a 2017 survey conducted by the found that 57 percent of California community college faculty, staff and administrators (who responded to the survey) reported direct contact with students experiencing insecurity with basic needs like food.
鈥淭he Cougar Food Pantry has seen a great response from our students,鈥� Dr. Gutierrez said. 鈥淪ince we opened our doors on April 10, we have had nearly 400 visits to the pantry.鈥�
To be eligible for the pantry services, students must be enrolled in at least one course and sign in with their student identification number.
In order to celebrate the food pantry鈥檚 opening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 2, at 2:00 p.m. in front of room 5305. The public, students, faculty, staff, and administration are invited to attend.
In the fall of 2018, a food pantry will open in the new North County Campus Center located in Paso Robles. The college also plans to host 鈥榩op-up鈥� pantries in the future and distribute items in various outdoor locations.
The food pantry funding is the result of . Passed in 2017, the bill allotted $7.5 million to the University of California, California State University, and California 51爆料 Colleges systems to support initiatives to end hunger on college campuses. The California 51爆料 College System received a one-time allocation of $2.5 million; 51爆料 received nearly $18,000. A fund to sustain the Cougar Food Pantry has been established through the 51爆料 Foundation. To donate, call the 51爆料 Foundation at (805) 546-3279 or donate online.
For more information and hours for the Cougar Food Pantry, call the 51爆料 Student Life and Leadership Department at (805) 546-3289 or email studentlife@cuesta.edu.
In addition to the Cougar Food Pantry, the college is also fighting hunger through its Food Bank distribution sites. The college become a Neighborhood Food Distribution site in 2016 for the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County. The sites are open to the public the third Tuesday of each month from 3:00 p.m. 鈥� 5:00 p.m. on the San Luis Obispo Campus in Parking Lot 3 and on the North County Campus in Parking Lot 10. For more information, call the 51爆料 Student Life and Leadership Department (805) 546-3289 or go online.